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The McCain Family Is Very Impressive

April 9, 2008, 11:23 am — Ash

A recap of the history…

The family and military history of Senator John McCain III (R-Arizona) is extremely impressive. There are a great many members of the McCain family who have served in the military, and the family has a tradition of military service which goes back to the time of the Revolutionary War. This is just incredibly awesome.

John S. McCain Sr.

John McCain’s paternal grandfather, John S. McCain Sr., was a four-star Admiral in the US Navy, who served in the military from 1906 until 1945, and served in both World War I and World War II.

McCain Sr. graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1906, and served on the USS Maryland, USS New Mexico and USS Nitro, and was in command on the USS Sirius and later the USS Ranger.

McCain Sr. trained as an aviator in 1936, a year before he was on the USS Ranger.

He also served in World War II, contributing greatly to America’s war effort by commanding a number of different posts in the Pacific.

After his death from a heart attack, McCain Sr. was posthumously promoted, his final rank being that of a full admiral. It was well deserved.

McCain Sr.’s brother, William A. McCain was also in military service, and retired as a Brigadier-General.

John S. McCain Jr.

Senator John McCain’s father, John McCain Jr. also served in the military. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1931, and like his father, he fought for the United States in World War II.

McCain Jr. was involved in operations around Japan. In 1943 he sank the Japanese ships Koyo Maru and Tokiwa Maru.

In May 1944 he shifted his operations to Indochina, with the assistance of another aircraft carrier. After this, he returned to Pearl Harbor, where he was assigned to the submarine Dentuda.

After World War II ended, McCain Jr. was assigned to the Office of the Chief of Naval Personnel, and until 1968, he served in a number of different roles in the Pentagon and a series of commands in the Atlantic.

McCain Jr was the Commander-in-Chief of the US Pacific Command for the period between 1968 and 1972, during the Vietnam War. While in charge of this command, McCain Jr.’s son, John McCain III, was a Navy aviator and was shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese. The North Vietnamese tortured McCain III, and attempted to use him for propaganda material when they learned of his family.

Senator John McCain III clearly comes from a very patriotic and impressive family, and he kept on in the traditions of his father and grandfather. He served in the US Navy from 1958 until 1981, when he retired at the rank of Captain.

Senator McCain was an aviator during the Vietnam war, and was shot down on October 26, 1967. When on the ground, he was captured by North Vietnamese and was brutally tortured. His injuries were so severe that other prisoners of war being kept in Hoa Loa Prison did not believe he would survive them. His captors did not offer any medical assistance, but instead tortured McCain further.

When the North Vietnamese learned of the identity of McCain’s father, they offered to release him early. This was a propaganda move, designed to show other prisoners of war that the “elites” would accept special treatment, and also designed to show other countries that the North Vietnamese could be compassionate and kind. The move backfired when McCain refused to go free unless all the men captured before him were released also, something that the North Vietnamese did not want to do.

The North Vietnamese also forced McCain to write a “confession”, although he cleverly used poor grammar and communist jargon, so that those reading in the US would know it was coerced. This “confession” was used as propaganda, but McCain refused to write any more, resulting in regular beatings. McCain also refused to be used as propaganda for antiwar groups, who wanted to use him as an example against war. Antiwar protestors sucked even then.

McCain was released from Hoa Loa Prison on March 14, 1973, and was returned home to the United States.

Jack McCain is studying at the United States Naval Academy, and hopes to train as a helicopter pilot.

Jimmy McCain

Jimmy McCain is a Lance Corporal in the United States Marine Corps, and he has served seven months patrolling Anbar Province in Iraq. He learned of his father’s New Hampshire victory as he was digging a military vehicle out of mud.

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2 Responses to “The McCain Family Is Very Impressive”

That is amazing. My family history isn’t quite that awesome, but close. My 6th great-grandfather served in the Revolutionary War, my great-great grandfather fought in the Civil War, my grandfather was Navy enlisted in WW I, and my dad was a military pilot in WW II, Korea, and Viet Nam. One of the reasons I like McCain is because in some ways he reminds me of my father.